RIDER SAFETY
Motorcycle and three-wheeler
riders face risk in different and more significant ways than drivers of four wheeled vehicles. Traction,
weather and potential road hazards all combine to pose considerable challenges to riders that drivers don’t often face.
Adding to these increased risks are
factors related to:
Protection: A lack of safety protection features built into two and
three-wheeled vehicles, such as no seatbelts,
air bags or steel roll cages.
Stability: The difference in stability and balance when compared to four-wheeled vehicles.
Traction: Two- and three-wheeled vehicles are far more affected by
surface hazards such as uneven and unpaved surfaces, a factor which
is likely to be enhanced in rural
areas.
Comfort: Riders are more exposed to external conditions, such as
bad weather, than drivers of four-wheeled vehicles.
Visibility: Smaller vehicles such as motorcycles and three-wheelers
are harder to see than larger vehicles.
This section offers guidance on
reducing the risk that the abovementioned factors pose the rider and his
or her passengers.
1 Safe Riding Behaviour
While a significant amount of risk is independent of the rider, there are many actions a rider can take to mitigate these risks. See Figure 3 for examples of rider behaviour which, while not a definitive list, show many of the crucial factors that will reduce the risk of crashes and injury.
The rider should at no time
compromise safety by overloading the vehicle with passengers and/or freight that would force them to
sit in a position, such as atop the fuel tank, so as not to be able to steer or brake properly
and safely.
By taking the above safe riding
behaviours seriously, the rider will minimise many of the risks they are likely to encounter.
1.2 Personal Protective Equipment
However, some risks may not be avoided
and could result in
possible injury to the rider.
Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) is equipment that protects the rider against safety
risks whilst riding. It includes
items such as helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, appropriate footwear and other safety clothing.
Ideally, PPE
should fulfil all of the requirements listed below, thereby reducing the risk
of serious injury or death to the rider and their passengers.
PROTECTION against abrasion
and impact
COMFORT to assist the rider
in maintaining focus on the
road
VISIBILITY to assist
other road users
to see the rider
Properly fitting PPE helps a
rider stay comfortable and visible regardless of riding conditions. In the event of a crash, PPE will
also reduce the severity of injuries.
Table 3. The
benefits of wearing PPE5
|
Part of Body |
PPE |
Relative Reduction in Risk of |
|
|
Any Injury |
Open Wound Injury |
||
|
Feet & Ankles |
Non-motorcycle
boots |
53% |
76% |
|
Hand & Wrist |
Motorcycle gloves |
45% |
73% |
|
Feet & Ankles |
Motorcycle boots (armoured) |
45% |
90% |
|
Legs only |
Motorcycle
trousers (including body armour) |
39% |
59% |
|
Upper body |
Motorcycle jacket (including body armour) |
23% |
63% |
The benefits
of wearing any type of boot are evident from Table 3 and on average result in a
53% reduction in risk of any foot
or ankle injury when compared to not wearing boots at all. However, armoured motorcycle boots offer a more
effective solution to reducing the risk of injury to riders of motorcycles or three-wheelers particularly with regards to the
risk of open wound injuries.